Devils Lake inter-ocean. (Devils Lake, Ramsey Co., Dakota [N.D.]) 1884-1905, 1887-11-19
TIE ION WAS KNOCKED OFF,

inquiry sent ahead, prcfcrring ourselves
to tell the story Of the impressed powder
train n N~eaurcgard'S need of ammu-
milton. While this was being done, others
threw n few distractions on the track.
When once more Oh board We noticed Il
quickcning of speed that after our long
rest was delightful. We had been run
ming slowly since leaving Big Sllanty, but
now Andrews said to his crew, "I'usl her,
boys, push her" Wilson hcaped in the
wood, and the fire, which was but moder-
ate when VIC lett Kingston, WAS soon roar
.ng and great clouds Of smoke escaping.
Our lcndcr's intention was to reach Adairs-
| Vile in II few minutes, in order to meet
two trains there which were now overdue.
These were the through freight and the
southern passenger trains, and they would
wait for us c'Fullcr's train') there. Our
terrible delay In Kingston was in every
way most unfortunate. If there had been
no extra trains we could by this time have
been at Dalton, forty miles further up the
road, with the Oostcnaula bridge burned
behind us, and, these two trains passed,
leaving no further serious obstacle to CON
tend with.
But while SO anxious to reach Adairs-
vile, the next station above, where there
'i'S " Nbul'I ICtCl W. W
leave the way open from Kingston, us the
! distance is only ten miles, and If the enc
my choose to make up Il pursuing train at
that point, on account Of suspicious
formed, it might be very embarrassing.
SO it seemed that VIC had scarcely got
under full Roadway at II tremendous rate
OF speed before the tender brakes, all that
We had on u train, were put sharply
down, and We were Oh the ground almost
before the train had stopped, and under
the energetic leadership Of Andrews were
hard at work lifting the track, the rcadi-
est mode of effective obstruction in our
power. We again cut the wire, and also
lOndcd on Il large number of ties and
other kinds of wood to he used in burning
the bridge. We were the more anxious
for abundant fuel, as the ccasclcss rain,
| which was now severe, would render
kindling II fire without much wood slow
and difficult. No time was lost in these
operations, as but q few could work Mt
track lifting at once, and others were
ready for my other useful employment.
Lifting a rail seems easy enough, but it
was far from easy in practice. The rail
is long and heavy; it. is securely boltcd to
other rails, and fastened with great spikes
driven into solid oak ties, which in turn
are deeply iInbcddcd in the ground. This
was the first place we wished to take I'M
Il rail very quickly, and accordingly VIC
were far more sensible of the difficulty
than when we had abundance Of leisure,
We were not excited, for we believed our
selves ahead of any probable pursuit; but
to pass the two trains still before US, and
hurry to our real work Of bridge burning,
was N ardent desire. Slowly We drew
out spike after spike, battcring out the
great nails as rapidly as possible with our
one iron bar. 1 cannot tell how many
minutes VIZ spent, but time went by
swiftly. The large load Of ties, which
were not far away, was Il great acquisi-
ton. and were Ill on board before tho
stubborn rail was half loosened.
The rail was lOOscncd at the southern
end, and for perhaps two-thirds OF it's
length was cleared Of spikes. Eight of
us, including our strongest men, took hold
OF it, to try to pull ont the remainder by
the rail itself. But they were too firmly
fixed; and we We're about to give up the
attempt and wait to batter ont Il few
more, whcn away in the distance we
heard, family but Enthusiastically. the
whistle of Il locomotive in pursuit. But
faint ant far Off rs it was, no sound more
unwelcome ever fell on human ear. Be-
fore us, only two OF three miles away,
there were two trains possibly blocking
the track; and behind It's Il pursuing en-
CINE, which in Il minute or two more
would lie upon US. It nearly seemed as
if our race was ended! But we did rot
pause for moralizing; we lifted again and
with every particle of strength, rs men
lift for life. The strong rail bent under
the terrible pressure and snapped with q
dull twang! All of us tumbled in q con-
fused heap down the grade. but in a mo-
ment were on our feet and hurrying
toward the car, taking our precious half
rail with US. For the time we were
saved: No matter "ho the pursIer was
he would be arrested by that break. and
give US tine, with favoring fortune. to
pass the trains above.